The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Let’s Fly

Let’s Fly

A 5-8th grade STEM lesson

Author: Jennifer Cheesman

Date: April 2023

Notes for teachers

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• Part of the lesson is to put the flyer together and have students play.
• This is the extension activity after students have flown the balsa wood planes.
• it is important for students to “PLAY” with the balsa wood flyers before they start to Frankenstein it (aka take it apart and change it up.)

List of Materials

• balsa wood flyers (see note below)
• straws
• cardstock
• tissue paper
• tape/glue
• wooden sticks
• pipe cleaners
• extra propellers
• building materials of your choose
• tape measure(s)

Standards

5.P2UI.35.P2U1.3 Construct an explanation using evidence to demonstrate that objects can affect other objects even when they are not touching.

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5.P3U1.4 Obtain, analyze, and communicate evidence of the

effects that balanced and unbalanced forces have on the

motion of objects.

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5.P3U2.5

Define problems and design solutions pertaining to force and motion.

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5.E2U1.8 Obtain, analyze, and communicate evidence to support

an explanation that the gravitational force of Earth on objects is directed toward the planet’s center.

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6.P1U1.3 Develop and use models to represent that matter is made up of smaller particles called atoms.

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6.P2U1.4 Develop and use a model to predict how forces act on objects at a distance.

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7.P3U1.3 Plan and carry out an investigation that can support an evidence-based explanation of how objects on Earth are affected by gravitational force.

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7.P3U1.4 Use non-algebraic mathematics and computational

thinking to explain Newton’s laws of motion.

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Science and Engineering Practices

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• Develop and use models
• Plan and carry out investigations
• Use mathematics and computational thinking

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Cross Cutting Concepts

• cause and effect
• stability and change
• scale, proportion and quantity
• energy and matter

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Objectives:

Today

TSW correctly identify and use the 4 vocabulary words correctly.

TSW put together and fly a balsa wood flyer.

TSW investigate the forces of motion.

TSW create a plane and carry out an investigation to observe changes in flight.

Guiding Questions

Ask questions to get participants thinking about the design process:

• What are some ways planes, gliders, and drones are used today?

• When you throw a paper airplane in the air, what impacts how far it flies?

• Do you think a wooden airplane would go farther than a paper airplane? Why or why not?

Agenda

• 0-10 minutes Introduction and vocabulary, short video on principles of flight.
• Activate prior knowledge-ask students if they have ever been on a plane.
• Give each student one balsa wood flyer.
• Help students put flyer together.
• Review safety procedures (See next slide).

• Take students outside and allow them to fly planes, as is.
• After a few rounds, bring students in and discuss what did they see, what did they notice, how far did their flyers go
• Note: If needed, you can line students up in a row and do “heats” so that students are being safe.

Agenda continued

• Explain to students that now they are going to make changes with their flyer.
• They can change the body, wings, propeller, weight, etc.
• Give time to sketch out their ideas and justify why they are making these changes.
• After students have made the changes, take them back outside and have them fly their planes again.

• When done, bring students inside and discuss: what happened, what did they notice, what worked/or did not work, and WHY.
• It is important for students to explore and “play” ie investigate using hands on manipulatives.

Vocabulary

Intro

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Description

htt//www.youtube.com/watch?v=F077WDnB8P8

This is a good introduction video of the principles of flight.

Ask students if any of them have been on an airplane before. Have them describe take off and landing.

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Safety First

• During construction of the balsa wood flyers, students should wear safety glasses.

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• During flying, students should also wear their safety glasses.

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• Also students should never fly gliders at anyone’s face and/or pets.

Hands-on Activity Instructions

• If you can get enough balsa wood flyers (even extra because they are so flimsy students may break them accidentally.
• It would be good for students to have their own plane but if not groups of 2-3 would be ok.
• Give each student one balsa wood flyer.
• Help students put flyer together.
• Review safety procedures (See next slide)
• Take students outside and allow them to fly planes, as is.
• After a few rounds, bring students in and discuss what did they see, what did they notice, how far did their flyers go.

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• Explain to students that now they are going to make changes with their flyer.
• They can change the body, wings, propeller, weight, etc.
• Give time to sketch out their ideas and justify why they are making these changes.
• After students have made the changes, take them back outside and have them fly their planes again.
• When done, bring students inside and discuss: what happened, what did they notice, what worked/or did not work, and WHY.

Assessment

Link to Self- Assessment: https://drive.google.com/file/d/109vvAJ2AWFcDtd4hTvZM_waj5R0mZDXD/view?usp=sharing

Link to Group Assessment: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Iw-CUAVbm7YEZaxhFT8BgwiNtguLb92w/view?usp=sharing

Differentiation

In the notes section below, there is a link to a google doc that you can download a paper version of a balsa wood flyer if you cannot source the wooden ones.

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Check in with students as they work.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

• Have students make a flyer completely out of scraps found in the classroom.
• Give a budget on supply costs of what they can/cannot use in the classroom on the glider.
• Career Connection:
• Drone Pilot https://youtu.be/JFR7ymf4-eQ
• Aviation Careers: https://youtu.be/Zkf6VAZs6vY

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Short Video on Mars Ingenuity Helicopter

https://youtu.be/SLmR3jU2jEk